Today, most information is stored and transmitted digitally. Thus, audio files being played back by a user are generally digitally-encoded audio information. Audio files are generally converted from digital to analog signals and then played back through a speaker. A key component of a circuit for reproducing audio information as sounds for a user is thus a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). Conventionally, audio information is converted to common analog signals regardless of the stored format of the audio information, and the analog signals are manipulated and/or mixed with other sources and amplified to produce an output for a speaker. A volume level of the output may be adjusted by manipulating the analog signals before output to the speaker. However, there is a desire to not allow control over the analog processing performed within the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) or between the DAC and the speaker. Further, preservation of the quality, and sometimes high fidelity, of the digital audio data requires reducing the amount of processing performed on the digital data itself.
Shortcomings mentioned here are only representative and are included simply to highlight that a need exists for improved electrical components, particularly for audio processing employed in consumer-level devices, such as mobile phones. Embodiments described herein address certain shortcomings but not necessarily each and every one described here or known in the art.